Hero
by KristinaW
Summary: After saving the life of Rey, a prominent figure in the Resistance, Ben Solo can no longer hide. The last known force user in existence, he must evade the First Order, hellbent on eradicating his kind. Ben seeks solace with the Resistance and, along with Rey's help, uncovers his past and learns the truth: that he isn't as alone as he thought he was. Inspired by the movie Hancock.
1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:** Hello! I'm very excited about this story, and I hope you all like it. The story is inspired by the movie _Hancock_ with Will Smith and Charlize Theron.

I was adamant on combining elements of both the SW plot and Hancock plot so that a believable marriage of the two would occur. Therefore, it's important to note that this story exists in a world all its own! If you have any questions or need any clarification, don't be afraid to ask! :)

Rated M for eventual mature content.

* * *

 **Hero**

 _Chapter One_

* * *

Rey had done it all. Or, just about. She climbed the steep hills of Ahch-To and hiked through the treacherous jungles of Takadona. She trekked along the endless, sweltering deserts of Jakku and swam the depths of the Silver Sea. But there was one accomplishment she had yet to achieve: reaching the peak of Junari Point.

Towering above Hanna City – capital of the beautiful and lustrous Chandrila – Junari Point was a constant reminder of Rey's "almost done it all" shortcomings. Since her very first adventure, the mountain had remained a goal perpetually dashed by her guardians. Leia said it was too dangerous, but then, she was never present for Rey's other escapades. _Luke_ was – he was the reason she was able to visit such places as Ahch-To and Jakku. Without him, Rey was sure she'd never leave Chandrila. When Luke visited, however, he was put to work on base, and was subsequently far too busy to fulfill Leia's one requirement: that he accompany Rey on her climb. Hence, Rey's goal remained unreachable.

Until that day.

Rey appreciated everything the twin elders had done for her. Taking her, a bastard child orphaned by the Battle of Chandrila, in as an apprentice of the Resistance was nothing they _had_ to do. It was just in their nature. After all, they were the founders of the Resistance – the only force big and brave enough to actively oppose the First Order. In addition, the Resistance's primary initiative was to recruit into the operation while aiding innocents affected by the tyrannical government. Even when they were shunned by those same, fear-driven innocents. Leia, Luke, and the Resistance made up what little good was left on Chandrila… but when it came to Junari Point, specifically, the twins were also obstacles in Rey's way. Their idea of Rey "stepping up" was vastly different from hers, and she had something to prove.

In hindsight, Rey should have known that free-climbing a mountain would risk all of her guardians' aforementioned efforts. Taking her in. Keeping her safe. Shaping her into a productive entity within the Resistance. Etcetera. But she'd waited long enough and Junari Point called to her. Ten years it beckoned, and now, it was practically singing. Begging her to come like it was waiting for her and her alone. Rey could imagine the cord that connected from her very core leading all the way up to the mountain peak. She had to see for herself where it ended.

The plan was simple. At the base of the mountain was a narrow, sandy beach overlooking the Silver Sea: the perfect safety net. A steep but traversable path led a third of the way up the mountainside. From there, she would begin to climb. Halfway up, a leveled edge jutted out beneath an overhang. She'd rest there at the midway point. Beyond, it was nothing but her hands and feet and a prayer.

Rey jogged the first length of the path, only resorting to her hands and knees when it eventually and sharply steepened. Dusting her hands with a thin layer of chalk, she took her first step up onto the wall. Then another, and another. Mere feet above the ground and she already felt free. She always did when she climbed, untethered by anything and reliant on no one but herself. It was as it always had been, even after Leia took Rey in. Old habits died hard when she had nothing and no one that was truly hers.

Half a mile from the midway point, Rey's hands began to cramp. She expected it. It'd been some time since her last climb, and the grit of the mountainside was beginning to bite into her softening callouses. Fortunately, Rey was prepared. Fishing the anchors from the small haul bag clipped to her harness, she reeled back and pounded two into the wall. Then, hoisting herself up, Rey planted one foot on each. One more anchor into the wall and Rey could hang on, alternating between resting her hands and her feet. Just a small break and she'd be ready to reach the ledge above.

The sight was breathtaking. She'd climbed high above the distant treetops of Veridian Forest and the Silver Sea stretched out behind her as far as she could see. High in the sky, the sun sent glittering fractals over the waves as they broke against the shore. Rey gripped the anchor above her head and leaned out, reaching with her free hand toward the ocean. It looked so different from when she was beneath those waves, swimming alongside the sealife. Like it was from some foggy, barely-there dream…

They say that when you're approaching death, everything moves in slow motion. For Rey, the opposite was true. The anchor at her hand slipped out of the crumbling façade, her feet fell away from the wall, and it all happened with such quickness that Rey had no time to react. No time to claw at the mountain for a handhold. How she had leaned, admiring the view, sent her into a hurtling nosedive for the ocean below… but a liar was made out of her. In the last few feet before breaking the surface – what surely would have snapped her neck on impact – time _did_ slow. Or at least her body did. Somehow.

The cold of the water took her breath away, the empty space instantly filling with salt water. Even with the last minute, slower descent, her body spiked through the ocean to a depth where darkness overtook all light. Rey kicked with all her might, eyes set on the dim surface impossibly far above, but her lungs were already burning. She'd never make it to the light…

A plume of white burst above her, and suddenly, hands found her. Wrapped around her waist. Propelled her upward much more quickly than she could have managed on her own. The darkness fell away the higher they swam until Rey's vision was filled with blinding white and she could breathe again. They were wet, choking breaths, but air mercifully filled her lungs all the same.

The same arms that pulled her from the depths now guided her toward the beach. It was a decent swim, and as weak as she was, Rey tried her best to doggy paddle; kicked her legs; _anything._ "Be still," a gruff voice commanded her over the rushing in her waterlogged ears. Gratefully, Rey complied, and the grip around her tightened. When – whoever it was – was able to stand, he lifted Rey's tired body in his arms. Swaying with each step, he powered against the tide. As much as she hated sand, Rey had never been happier to feel it when he laid her against the shore.

Rey wanted so much to see the face of her rescuer. Wanted to beg him not to leave her, as startled and aching as she was. But looking directly into the sun, her vision was hazy, and each gurgling word she tried to speak produced another gush of water from her mouth. She felt her harness being pulled from her waist and her shirt ripped open with no remorse for the buttons that tore apart. Hands pressed against her sternum – their warmth heady even over the cold, soaked binding around her chest – and began working. The ministrations forced more water out, but still, Rey's lungs protested. Burned. What little air she was getting wasn't enough. And it was as if her rescuer read her mind. Foreign lips closed around hers and sweet, lifegiving breath exhaled in once. Twice. By the third time, he pressed against her sternum just once more and there was no water left to sputter out.

With her chest heaving, gulping in breath after unhindered breath, Rey couldn't stop the hot tears that sprung to her eyes. Those same warm hands lifted her head from the sand, an arm curling around her shoulders and pulling her close. His voice, deep and rough, murmured into her wet hair, "Alright. You're alright."

Rey pried her eyes open and craned her neck to finally see for herself. The man – her rescuer – had dark hair that fell in wet, glistening waves to his shoulders and deep eyes beneath thick eyelashes. His broad shoulders blocked out the sun and he glowed against it like Poseidon emerging from the sea in a blaze of glory. He didn't notice the way Rey's eyes widened or the gasp that hitched in her throat. He was too busy closing his large hand around her small, bleeding ones, just to release them and reveal perfectly healed skin.

"You're… you're…" Rey's voice was hoarse, but not so haggard that her shock went unnoticed. The man's gaze snapped back to hers, his brow furrowing. Settling her back against the sand, he took to his feet. How tall he was. How intimidating: the force user who terrorized Chandrila.

Rey recognized him. _Ben Solo._ How often had she seen his face in the news? Heard his story gossiped around town in hushed voices? Read his name in Most Wanted pamphlets forced into every hand by the First Order? Though she'd imagined what it was like – intimidating and exhilarating all at once – Rey had never met him in person. In fact, most people didn't, nowadays. The last time he was seen _anywhere_ was nearly a year ago, when the _incident_ happened…

And now, after saving her life, he was leaving without a word. It took two attempts to bring her voice back to its natural decibel, but Rey did it. She called the name most were afraid to speak.

"H-hey… _Ben Solo._ Don't go!"

When he stood still like that, he could have passed for anyone… save for the way he dripped, soaked by the ocean from head to toe. His black, sleeveless undershirt and matching dark pants clung to him like a second skin, but put him amid a group of construction workers and he wouldn't stand out. His stare drilled into her for just a moment before darting to and fro: everywhere but at her. Rey joined him, deducing what he was looking for. Passersby. Witnesses. Anyone with nothing to lose and everything to gain by feeding a "Ben Solo Nearly Drowns Innocent Woman!" story to the First Order.

Easing herself into a seated position, Rey shaded her eyes with a hand to her brow and peered up at the mountain. Whispered a curse under her breath. She'd nearly made it to that ledge…

"How'd you know I was there?"

Ben Solo was close again, casting a shadow over her and gesturing with his shoulder to the same place Rey studied. His question was mixed with intrigue and frustration, but Rey had questions of her own. "The ledge? You were up there?"

"Don't act like you didn't know."

Rey was on her feet now. Though her chest still ached, she mustered her own indignation to match Ben Solo's. "I absolutely did not. Who makes it their goal to seek out _force users?_ " She spat the term with more disgust than she intended, and immediately bit her lip in shame.

Ben Solo's stare hardened, turning into slits. "You know who," he growled so low, he had to lean in, nose-to-nose, for Rey to hear it. As panicked as she felt with his proximity, he was gone as quickly as he'd come, stomping away toward the mountain base.

Flustered, Rey scrambled after him. "Hey, wait a minute!" Ben Solo didn't slow his pace, but Rey wasn't going to give up either. She'd kicked her rescuer when he was already down, which was typically _not_ in her nature. Leia would have been ashamed. Rey swiped once and missed, just short of his pace, but caught his arm on the second try. He turned to face her with an unnerving expression. Like all he wanted was to disappear back into the shadows; back to being forgotten.

Except, he was never forgotten. No one _could_ forget.

Rey wasn't sure what she wanted to say, now that she had his attention. Ben Solo seemed to understand, though. "Look. I was in the right place at the right time. When you fell, I followed. That's it."

Something didn't add up. "But if you thought I was after you… which I _wasn't,_ " she clarified, just in case. "Why would you save me?"

He sighed, and it was so _human_ of him that in that moment, Rey regretted any negative thing she'd ever said about a force user, past or present. "Why wouldn't I?"

That was it. Rey had to thank him somehow, and one thing in particular came to mind. "Come with me." Ben Solo's response was to laugh incredulously, as if she'd lost her mind. Rey swatted at his bicep with a loose fist. "I'm serious. You have to let me show you my thanks. I won't flaunt you in public, I swear. Your secret's safe with me, just… come _with_ me."

He was quiet for a long, painstaking moment, and it gave Rey hope that he was actually considering it. "Why?"

Rey smiled. "Because I think I can help you."


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note:** Thank you to those who have shown an interest in this story! I am loving writing it, and it moves much more quickly than my other multi-chapter story, _The Red String_ (check it out if you love TFA canon-compliant, slow burn continuations!). With _Hero,_ I'm working hard to take inspiration from both _Hancock_ and _TFA_ while still creating a new and interesting story. In this chapter, Rey has to follow through with her promise, and we'll see just what is up with our favorite force user.

Inspired by Hancock. Rated M for eventual mature content.

* * *

 **Hero**

 _Chapter Two  
_

* * *

Ben Solo lived in the mountains; in particular, right on the very ledge Rey had had in her sights. Shrouded by the cliff's overhang, a cave was nestled inside of it, hidden away and perfectly obscure. That's where he'd made a home; used the force to burrow deeper until there was a concise, hollowed out trail inside the mountain itself. In his sanctuary, Ben Solo was out of sight and out of mind – safe from the First Order who hunted him down.

The last time he was seen publicly had been just over a year and a half ago, and Rey would never forget it. Though she was off on another trip with Luke Skywalker, the story was still buzzing upon her return. The First Order – Chandrila's tyrannical government – had been involved, of course. Through the leadership of their intimidating leader, General Armitage Hux, they'd tracked Ben Solo down for the umpteenth time. No matter how carefully he hid or how often he fled, the First Order _always_ seemed to find Ben Solo. The rumor was that he'd been living at sea and came into port on Landing Platform OB-99.

"It's true," Ben confirmed. "I was planning to commandeer an X-wing." When Rey asked why, there was no hint of apology in his response. "They were coming for me, so I needed to go."

And come for him, they did, with blasters hot and an entire fleet crowding the port. It was easy to blame Ben Solo for the innocents lost that day. At the time, Landing Platform OB-99 was _the_ place for aspiring pilots to train, and had Ben Solo simply surrendered, those casualties could have been avoided. No one seemed to care that those pilots' bodies were riddled with government-issued blaster bolt wounds and nothing else; that Ben Solo hadn't laid a finger – physical or mental – on them, or so he claimed.

Rey believed him, but Leia was not impressed.

Rey's first instinct was to take Ben Solo to the Resistance base. It was a logical choice – the Resistance's purpose was to help all those affected by the First Order. Who was more affected than the galaxy's last force user? Those who communed with the force, "force sensitives," were all but extinct save for Ben Solo. Rey knew the story like the back of her hand, as per the history lessons joining the Resistance required. Once upon a time, force users were celebrated. Academies existed for the sole purpose of fostering them and their powers. _Saviors_ were what they were, back then. Protecting and serving those weaker than they. They'd even had their own Order: the Jedi, if Rey wasn't mistaken. Those details were fuzzy, even for the historians. But what _was_ clear was how their extinction came about.

It had only taken one voice to turn the sheep against the force users; heralded by a wolf in shepherd's clothing. Few knew the name, and even less dared to speak it: Snoke. The faceless founder of the First Order. Rumors said it was a title more than anything, passed down through generations to keep it alive and the aforementioned sheep in line. Others said that Snoke was a force user himself, hell bent on destroying anything that could usurp him - anything that rivaled his own power. Whatever the case, _Snoke_ gave the order for force user eradication by any means possible.

Damaging propaganda hit the streets rapidly, and it didn't take long for heads to fill with it and opinions to sway. The force users were _dangerous_. Force sensitivity was _unnatural._ It was an 'us or them' mentality, and where the force users excelled in their greatness, they lacked in numbers. Through no fault of their own, they were shunned. _Feared._ When it was something else entirely that deserved that fear.

The First Order formed seemingly overnight: saviors to usher in a new world of equality and indifference. _Peace,_ they called it, but what came was everything but. They amassed more militia than any army ever seen across the galaxy. They hunted down every errant force user that they could. Whether the force users were alone or in their typical pairs, they were found and swarmed, leaving no chance of survival even with their inherent abilities.

The Battle of Chandrila would go down in history as one of the most devastating. The remaining force users gathered there, led by the Knights of Ren and their fearless Master. Their combined powers was an unmistakable beacon, luring the First Order into a battle that no one could win. But Rey guessed that winning wasn't the point; rather, it was how many lives could be taken. The force users wanted the First Order quelled, and the First Order wanted the force users annihilated. Both succeeded in some ways and failed in others.

The First Order was smart; their numbers impossibly large. Rey had her own theory: they must have recruited enough to fill planets. If she believed the rumors about Snoke – who was thought to have made a rare appearance to _end_ the Battle of Chandrila – it would also be easy to believe he brainwashed his followers to, in fact, follow him. How else could so many people turn into weak sympathizers of a now oppressive dictatorship? Who followed a government that murdered an entire race, forbade the discussion of said people, and punished all those who dared speak ill? If they could speak for themselves, most Chandrilians would admit it was the fear of ending up like the force sensitives: erased by the First Order.

But they missed one.

Rey knew all of the stories. At first, Ben Solo's presence went relatively unnoticed in Norina – a small city west of Hanna. It seemed innate for him to show up just when he was needed: serving others in their time of need with no expectation of thanks. Perhaps to some, he was a light in the darkness… until his presence ignited fire within the First Order. The first time Storm Troopers chased Ben out of town, it caused a simple traffic jam. People hung out their windows to see him rush by on a decrepit speeder, given to him by a mechanic he'd pulled and healed from a car wreck. They cheered when the Storm Troopers lost sight of him. Ben Solo was the prince of lore, and Chandrilians thought he would be the one to slay the dragon.

The second time was not as entertaining, and the dragon had yet to be slayed. Propaganda returned to the comm channels and hung in notices along the streets, following Ben Solo to his new sanctuary, Catan City. The mandates reached across the planet: force use was prohibited, and anyone harboring information as to the whereabouts of a force sensitive would be tried as strictly and as harshly. In reality, there were no trials. Empathizers were simply never heard from again. The day Ben Solo went into town for supplies, there were no cheers. Passersby averted their gazes when they crossed paths and ducked into buildings when Storm Troopers showed up. That time, Ben would not escape unscathed.

A year ago marked the third confrontation with what they called _the incident._ Rey saw it as more of an accident, but she was in the minority who would agree. In the wake of Landing Platform OB-99's destruction, Ben Solo had gone unseen by everyone save for those who lived in the small town of Deltannin. Unfortunately for those citizens, none who bore witness to the incident, survived. This time, the First Order raid was led by General Hux himself, and Ben Solo was effortlessly flushed out. Rey believed he had done his best to flee the diminutively populated city. "I chose it because I thought it was desolate enough," Ben said, and he would have been right. A small fishing town, there was often no one there with the fisherman busy at sea. As fate would have it, the village was full at the time of the incident, and the First Order no longer believed in witnesses.

Thus, Ben Solo became the Most Wanted being in all of Chandrila, if not the galaxy. And where was such a man to go?

"How long have you been here?" Leia asked through pursed lips. She, Rey, and Ben sat around the kitchen table, a steaming pot of kaff between them. Ben clutched his mug with both hands but had yet to take a drink.

"Since the incident."

"Why _here_?"

"I figured it would be the last place they'd look."

It made sense. It was _smart_ , even, if Rey thought about it. The First Order was rampant in Hanna City. The citizens, like drones following their queen bee. A force user in their right mind wouldn't be anywhere near it.

Leia, on the other hand, looked as though she couldn't decide whether the decision was brave or idiotic. Looking to Rey, she shook her head. "I don't know what you expect me to do, Rey."

"What you always do. _Help._ Like he helped _me._ Or does that not matter?"

Ben looked as though he were about to speak, but Leia raised a hand to quiet him without moving her motherly glare from Rey. "Of course it matters. But you are asking a lot of me, _and_ of the Resistance. Anyone associated with a force user can be-"

Rey fisted her hands in frustration. "I _know_ what's at stake. That doesn't change the fact that our job is to help all who suffer at the hands of the First Order. Who has suffered more than him? How is he any different?" When Leia's face fell in defeat, Rey reached across the table to take her hand. It was easy to forget how old her mentor had become, the fine wrinkles of her hand soft against Rey's young skin.

"You've wanted me to play a bigger part for a while now. Wanted me to step up and see what it's like to lead…" Rey cast a glance toward Ben who watched her with that same stare from before – drilling so deeply into her that she swore he could see clean through to her core. She couldn't forget the sacrifice he made, coming out of hiding to save her life. It was time for her to do the same. "Perhaps this is the way I do it."

Leia was silent for a long time, trading glances between Rey and their guest. Finally she breathed a deep sigh – the sign, Rey knew all too well, of Leia giving in.

* * *

It was a miracle, Leia claimed, that Ben Solo was not seen when Rey led him to Leia's home. Rey, however, thought that statement was a bit dramatic. General Leia Organa liked her privacy when she was away from her infamous leadership role in the Resistance. Therefore, her home was nestled deep in the outskirts of Hanna City within a forest that extended for miles. The last Rey checked, First Order Storm Troopers didn't venture out into Veridian Forest except for their once-monthly duty of scouting Leia's property. Years had passed since the last altercation between the opposing forces, and the First Order learned quickly that the Resistance's reserve army could hold their own. Now, they had no reason to suspect Leia of wrongdoing… still, they kept a close, particular eye on her. After all, they were not fond of her organization's opposition.

That being said, Rey was now tasked in escorting Ben Solo to the Resistance base. His presence in Leia's home had saved Rey a tongue-lashing for what she'd done: climbing Junari Point and bringing a wanted man to her home. At least for now.

"Luke will return to base soon," Leia said, gunning the engine of her four-seater speeder. "You can explain to him _then_ what you were doing at Junari Point."

Rey winced. Though Luke had promised over and over to accompany her on a safe, supervised climb, he had also broken that promise, again and again. Now, as punishment, it would be some time before Rey would join him on another trip, off-continent _or_ off-planet. Nodding remorsefully, Rey peered out the side window and to the stars above, steadily blinking into existence against the recent nightfall. Hanna City had a strict curfew, but night was still the safest time to travel, unnoticed, through Veridian Forest.

"You have little faith in her." It wasn't a question, and had her eyes not been trained diligently on avoiding trees in her path, Leia would have shot Ben Solo a disapproving look.

"Not at all," Rey objected for her guardian's sake… or perhaps it was for Ben's. "The opposite, actually. Leia would like to see me lead the Resistance one day."

"So that you can risk your life instead of her?"

It was Rey's turn to cast him an angry stare, turning in her seat so she could face him in the back. To her surprise, his expression betrayed no emotion, save for the slightest tick in his clenched jaw. "So that _I_ can be as _great_ as she is. So that I can help as many people as she has helped." Though he nodded in acceptance, Rey could see that Ben didn't quite agree with the notion. Rey wouldn't let it go. "What is it that you don't believe?"

He was quiet for a moment, thoughtful, before responding. "For someone who claims to believe something as _grand_ as that, I would think you'd have taken the position by now."

He had a point, and Rey was sure now more than ever that he saw right through her. Or at least into the confines of her mind. Was it a force user thing? She'd have to look it up, later… Still, he was right. There was something holding her back, and his name was Luke. Luke was much more adamant than Leia about Rey taking her time – to the extent where Rey sometimes believed he never meant for Rey to progress at all. He was like the father she never had, protecting her from every little thing while simultaneously showing her the world, one adventure at a time. It was as if he feared her setting out on her own, and made up for it in other ways.

But that was none of Ben Solo's business, so Rey changed the topic. "Is there anyone we can contact for you? It would be safer for us to find them for you."

Ben Solo didn't answer. Only shook his head as he continued to stare out the window.

"No one? A friend? Significant other?" Rey held her breath with the last one, though she wasn't sure why.

"If I had anyone, I wouldn't know it."

Leia quirked a fleeting eye toward Rey, but Rey was too stunned to notice it. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Ben started slowly, a hint of annoyance in his tone and his jaw clenching once again. Rey started to wonder if he knew how to relax. "I have no one. I don't think I ever have."

"That's impossible. Everyone has _someone._ "

He looked sharply at her, then, and his expression danced between disappointment, sadness, and anger. "The last thing I remember was waking up in the hospital. Nothing before that. Couldn't even remember my own name."

Rey bit her lip and resisted the urge to reach for him. A smile hinted at the corners of his lips, looking out of place and foreign beneath the pain.

"The doctors, nurses… they tried to help me remember. But they had more than I did: paperwork with the name 'Ben Solo.' That was it."

It hurt to ask, but Rey couldn't help herself. "And no one…" she whispered.

Ben's face turned back to the window. "What kind of man was I, that no one would claim me? _No one_?"

While the rest of Chandrila slept, the Resistance was alive. Far from any popular, active port in a section without a name, the base was buried underground – its only apparent feature the decrepit hangar that concealed its entrance. Long since abandoned and rarely used even now, it was the perfect guise. Massive trap doors once used for crews to work beneath ships opened into equally massive tunnels. Beneath the earth, an entire military operation lived, waiting for their moment. Of course, it was just one of their many bases, but it was the largest.

Leia excused herself from the speeder, requesting a moment for clearance. When Rey stepped out to wait, Ben reluctantly followed – but that's as far as he went. Reaching inside the control panel to set the speeder to 'stealth mode,' she watched it disappear by Ben's side. He, however, was preoccupied, staring off in the direction Leia had gone, underground.

"It's alright," Rey assured him, just as he'd done for her on the beach. Before she could convince herself against it, Rey took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. Startled, he looked down at her with wide eyes and she smiled. "No one fears you here. No one wants to hurt you, or turn you over. They will want to help."

Pursing his lips, Ben turned back just as Leia reappeared, waving them on. "We shall see," he said under his breath, but followed Rey all the same.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Please let me know what you think! I reply to all comments (those from FFdotnet I include in the next chapter installment).


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note:** Thank you again to those who are reading and commenting! Your responses truly motivate me to continue.

Inspired by the movie _Hancock_. Rated M for future chapters.

* * *

 **Hero**

 _Chapter Three_

* * *

Rey had been _partially_ right. Entering the Resistance base, the trio was met with wide eyes and gaping mouths. All stood at attention, bowing heads to their General but casting sidelong glances toward the only force user most had ever laid eyes on. Trained and ready to go, they were prepared to do as their General requested. Their resolute duty, however, did not entirely ease their concern.

It wasn't _Ben_ they feared, Rey assured herself. It was the quite possible backlash they would receive from the First Order. If word got out that the Resistance was housing the government's Most Wanted, their standoff would inevitably turn into all-out war. The First Order was simply waiting for a reason to allow exactly that to happen. Still, it was their duty to _try._ Ben Solo was an innocent, whether he had inhuman abilities or not. Whether any of them believed the propaganda, _or not._ If General Organa believed it, then the Resistance would believe it as well. Rey just wished, with all her might, that each one of them staring would look away.

Surprisingly, they did.

"We will not be discussing any motions until Luke has returned," Leia instructed as they paraded through the base. In quick pace, they passed the control room, the strategy room, the med bay, and the kaffé. Room after room and hall after hall left Ben bewildered by the enormity of the underground bunker. It wasn't until they passed the barracks that Rey was confused. Where would Leia take him?

As if reading her thoughts, Leia answered. "You'll be staying in my quarters. They are the most secure."

That meant Leia would be returning home, and inevitably, so would Rey. It didn't feel right leaving Ben Solo alone on base. Even though she trusted her comrades with her life, could she trust them with _his?_ With an unarmed man who posed a bigger threat to them than anything, even without malicious intent? All it would take was one nervous traitor to report to the enemy and they'd all be finished…

"You'll be safe here, Ben," Leia assured him, leading him through a set of double doors. Leia's quarters were not lavish by any means – nor should they be, in a military stronghold. But they were very comfortable, to say the least. Equipped with its own kitchen and washroom, plus a bedroom separate from the sitting area, one would find little reason to leave. That, Rey assumed, was Leia's intention.

"You'll remain here until we return. You are not to leave. You are not to engage with anyone else on base. Is that clear?"

Ben's chest puffed. Obviously, he was not used to taking orders. His day had taken a turn he had not expected, all because he decided to save a meager human from peril. Rey looked at him with pleading eyes, and somehow, mercifully, Ben's frustration quelled and he nodded a singular, curt nod.

Leia made to leave, and when Rey followed, Ben caught her hand. He floundered a moment, visibly embarrassed by his forwardness, or possibly his weakness. But he asked anyway. "Stay."

"Absolutely not," Leia said indignantly.

Rey could almost hear him in her mind, quietly pleading. _Please._

Rey turned back to Leia, who crossed her arms in expectation. "I'll stay in the barracks. He shouldn't be…" She faltered at the word _alone_. "It's because of _me_ he's even here."

As much as Leia hated to admit it, Rey was an adult. She could make decisions for herself. And by the assertion in her voice, Leia could tell that decision _had_ , in fact, been made. After another reminder of the do's and don't's of their stay, Leia exited, albeit unwillingly.

Left alone in the quarters, the silence fell like a heavy, unnatural, palpable thing. Rey was acutely aware of the lingering hold Ben had of her hand, and when she cleared her throat, so was he. Sheepishly, he ran a hand through that thick hair of his, and Rey ushered herself into the kitchen to hide her blush.

"You must be starving. I know I am."

Rey rifled through the cabinets, drawers, and ice box, scouting their options and scratching her head. All the assertion of her adultness flew out the window. She was not big on cooking. If it was something she could boil in water or reheat, she was solid. As far as preparing an adequate meal, she left that to her guardians. Now, it was her turn to be embarrassed.

Ben's long arm curved around her from behind, reaching for the vegetables she'd been staring at helplessly. Darting to one side, Rey gave Ben room, and he quickly picked a selection of ingredients. In no time at all, they were seated at the small tabletop, pouring over platefuls of beef stew and rice.

"My favorite," Rey purred between bites, too busy tucking in mouthful after mouthful to worry about her manners. "How'd you know?"

Ben paused, a forkful in midair as he wondered for himself. "I had no idea."

They ate in silence, Rey making note to slow herself here and there – it was _so_ hard and the meal was _so_ delicious. Ben only broke it once both plates were clear. "So. What is the plan?"

Rey froze, save for her eyes darting about the living quarters. After agreeing to stay with him, she hadn't thought much beyond that. A needling sensation in her gut made her wonder if he expected more from her; more of a "thank you" than she was willing to give. Outwardly judging him by his towering height and toned form from years of fighting, Rey imagined he could easily take whatever he wanted…

Thankfully, Ben clarified. "You think you can help me. I'd like to know how."

Breathing an inward sigh of relief, but also berating herself for going to such an immediate dark place, Rey rested her elbows along the edge of the table. "Simple. We get the people to believe in you again."

Ben nearly laughed in shock. Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms incredulously. "For one, that will be impossible. Two, what good will it do?"

" _Not_ impossible," Rey argued, standing to collect their dishes and deposit them into the sink. "You underestimate the sheep, Ben Solo."

"Sheep?"

Rey corrected herself. "Herd mentality. They follow the First Order because they _have_ to. Not because they _want_ to. Most sympathize with the Resistance, especially after we help them, their friends, their loved ones, etcetera." Standing in the kitchen's doorframe, she spread her hands apart as if clearing the view. "Imagine how they would feel if they had a _force user_ protecting them as well."

"They'd feel intimidated and turn me into the Order," Ben snorted, rising from his seat at the table just to sit on the lounge. He seemed too big for it, out of place in the comfort of the room like he hadn't felt such a thing in far too long.

"That's not what I think," Rey insisted, plopping down beside him, close enough for their knees to touch. "Do you want to know what I think?"

His look said it all, and Rey could feel the heat rising to her cheeks again. "I think, if you strip away the First Order's threats, the people are more scared of them than they are of you. I think most of them – no, _all_ of them – are holding on to hope. We just need to steer that hope towards _us."_

"You mean, the Resistance."

Rey nodded enthusiastically. "If we can get them to believe in _you_ – believe that they can follow the _force_ to _peace_ – then we'd have the numbers we currently lack to successfully counter the First Order. If we can do that, the Resistance can _win."_

It was easy in theory. Some people were brainwashed into agreeing with the First Order. Others did so out of fear. But in reality, it was the _First Order_ causing chaos: not the Resistance. Not force users.

"And how do you expect to accomplish all this?"

Rey bit her lip, knowing he wasn't going to like what she had to say. "Surrender to the Resistance. Publically. Let them know you are here, and you side with us."

* * *

Rey's plan was not as well received by Ben Solo as she'd thought. Their discussion promptly ended following her request, Ben excusing himself to Leia's bedroom. Rey wanted to kick herself. At one point, she'd tried to draw empathy from Leia for how quickly Ben's world had changed in just under one day cycle. Now, she'd thrown that empathy to the wind and inundated him with a request that, quite possibly, could mean his death.

Rey knew full well what a public surrender would mean, not only for Ben, but for the entire Resistance. In an instant, all eyes would be on them. The First Order would amplify their efforts tenfold in finding their bases and, subsequently, finding Ben Solo. Perhaps even General Organa. Their heads would be on stakes. But there was one thing she was confident in: the people of Hanna City. No, the _entire population_ of Chandrila. They would not adhere to the First Order's call for a mutiny against the Resistance. Not when they had the galaxy's last force user in their grips. Not after all the _good_ they'd done for those same people.

They could broadcast from underground along every available comm channel. Make their announcement and keep their heads down. Alert all bases to be on standby. Then, the real work would begin. They had to appeal to the masses, for sake of Ben Solo. They had to show that they had the advantage, and it was in the hands of a force user. They had to see the good. Had to rally them all to proactivity, to _action_. _Numbers –_ the Resistanceneeded _numbers._ If a thousand, a hundred, hell, even _one_ person joined the cause, then it was one more than they had before. They'd start with Hanna City, then all of Chandrila.

All Rey needed was for Ben Solo to agree.

Forgetting about her promise to Leia, Rey never made it to the barracks. After Ben disappeared behind closed doors, Rey switched on the datapad docked inside the table beside the lounge. For all that she knew about force users through her Resistance training and from history books, she still had questions. She knew they were powerful – enough to hold their own against the First Order and Snoke _countless_ times before their eventual defeat. But what could they _do?_ What advantage did Ben Solo give the Resistance, exactly? And if the rumors were true about Snoke, what exactly were they up against?

A quick search rendered a number of results – all certified, scholarly articles by reliable sources. Most of them were written by members of The Church of the Force, a now defunct organization that had once served the ancient Jedi Order. Their members, not actual force users themselves, were brutally executed in the wake of the Battle of Chandrila by General Hux and his First Commander, a menacing woman by the name of Phasma. Their crime: aiding and abetting dangerous beings; fostering conspiracy and sedition against the government; treason. All untrue, yet no one was allowed to say otherwise. The Church members weren't even given a trial, not that anyone outside of the First Order would preside. Without force users to protect them, their deaths were inevitable.

Time and time again, the articles were taken down by the First Order, but they always managed to make their way back to the comms. The Resistance was to blame for that, thanks to their persistence and strong, reliable security that enveloped not only the comms, but the bases themselves. They were privileged to know and use technology garnered from none other than Luke and Leia. Their lineage was drenched in the blood of war, and good came from it in the form of data and progressive tech collected over time. It was thanks to _them_ that the Resistance had what numbers they had in the first place – thanks to their connections, the friends they made over the years, and beyond. It was hard to meet someone, on-planet or off, that was not at least an acquaintance of the Skywalker twins. Even harder to find someone to say anything negative, outside of the First Order. Thus, brave supporters came out of the woodwork, bringing their knowledge and expertise. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough against the vastly wealthy First Order who controlled taxation and government funds.

The first article Rey perused was entirely informational. The abilities a force user possessed varied depending upon the magnitude of their sensitivity. The range was astounding: mind altering and control, physical manipulation, healing, teleportation… the possibilities were limitless. Having them listed before her made Rey realize her understanding of force sensitivity was not as thorough as she'd thought. Her mind drifted back to the afternoon, hours ago, when she'd fallen from Junari Point. By all reasoning, Rey should have been dead; her neck broken by the water's impact. What powers had Ben used then, to assure that didn't happen?

Pushing the thought aside with a shudder, Rey moved on to the next article: more historical than informational. The origin of force sensitivity was skeptical. Most believed it was as old as time; that it was _one_ with the galaxy, and the galaxy was one with the force. The central idea behind the force was in its balance – a yin and a yang, the dark and the light. Apparently, it was easy to tread either way, but in the balance, the _gray_ , was where force users were meant to reside. Because of this, they were meant to be born in pairs. Brothers and sisters. Star-crossed lovers. Every last one of them, tied to another by a single thread of fate. That string stood the test of time, defied death, and could never be broken, and the source of their powers was channeled through it. One could not live without the other...

"If this is true…" Rey muttered to herself, her thumbnail between her teeth. "Then he _can't_ be alone. It wouldn't be possible…"

A chill shivered up her spine and, instinctually, Rey snapped her head up to find Ben leaning against the doorframe of Leia's room. His eyes fixated on the hologram hovering above the datatable, pupils darting along the lines of text. Clearing her throat, Rey gestured to the article.

"Is it true?"

Ben shrugged. "You'll be relieved to hear I have no idea."

Rey frowned at his statement… but she imagined that old habits died hard and couldn't be expected to shift in the course of just one day. He probably believed most people would be dismayed to know another force sensitive could still exist somewhere in the world. But Rey was hopeful… more so for one option over the other, star-crossed one; not that she would admit it.

"If it _is_ true," Rey continued, "then whoever it is would have to be close. It says here that when separated, a pair of force sensitives lose their power. They become _human_." Ben seemed unfazed by Rey's discovery, and it made her want to conk him on the head. Rising from her seat on the couch, she crossed the dark room over to him, wishing she hadn't dimmed the lights to see the hologram better. That way, she could've seen his face more clearly; maybe read his doubtful expression more accurately. He must not have heard her right.

"This could mean you aren't alone in the world. You could have a sibling out there! Or-or…" she fumbled over her words, but inevitably, he deserved to know. "You could have a significant other of some sort. And they'd have to be easy to find, if it says distance diminishes your abilities."

His stare was hard, and even in the dim illumination of the hologram, she could see resentment flash in his eyes. "What makes you think I would want to find them?"

Rey blinked. "Wouldn't you?"

Ben wouldn't answer. He didn't need to, if Rey thought about it. All he could focus on was how he'd been abandoned; left alone in a world that hated him. And all Rey could wonder was who, if anyone, could Ben Solo love if he hated all else?

"We're alike, you and I," Rey said, her voice as quiet as a sigh. Ben turned his sights to the floor at her assumption, as if the sound of it was ridiculous – or maybe it hurt to hear. It wasn't the easiest thing to believe, that a human and a force sensitive could have _anything_ in common. But to Rey, it was. "I've lost memories, too."

 _That_ made Ben Solo meet her gaze again, but it was Rey's turn to look away. It was hard enough to think of her own story without staring into those eyes – the deep, dark ones that seemed to bore into her soul. She returned to her seat on the lounge, idly scrolling through the article as she spoke. "It was maybe a decade ago, give or take. That's how long ago I can remember, at least. Before that; nothing. All I can recall was waking up here, in this very base, with Leia and Luke watching over me." Rey smiled to herself, despite the tears that threatened. "I was orphaned by war. Your people's battle, actually. My guardians took me in; gave me a place and a purpose… even when they didn't have to. They weren't anything to me – not family, friends, _nothing._ They were simply… what did you call it? In the right place, at the right time?"

Glancing over her shoulder, Rey was surprised to see Ben more alert. His crossed arms were unfolded now, and he stood as if stuck in indecision: unsure whether to walk away from the weight of her past, or toward her in comfort. Why _now_ did it seem so hard for him, when the decision to save her life just hours ago came so easily?

"No one claimed me, either," Rey admitted, and finally, her voice strangled in her throat. "I was abandoned in the Battle of Chandrila, they said. Found in the rubble, left to die. I never did find any pieces to pick up; any that _fit."_

If Ben Solo was good at anything, it was at being quiet. Inhaling and exhaling, methodical and cleansing, Rey switched off the datapad and stood. Whispering a hushed goodnight, she was nearly to the door when Ben finally spoke.

"I'll surrender to the Resistance," he murmured, right before Rey closed the door behind her.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Please let me know what you think! Special thanks to **Jinga** , **Woodwork** , and **kyloxreytfa**! Love you guys!


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the hiatus I took between updates! Responsibilities got in the way. The good news is that I'm several chapters ahead and nearing the end of this story! :D This is new for me, because I tend to write the story in its entirety before I even post the first chapter. I tend to like all the kinks worked out and the story solid. But I think this time, I'll continue posting and have you guys help me guide where this story should go!

Please remember: this is an AU that marries the stories of TFA with the movie _Hancock._ While you'll recognize concepts, it is operating in its own universe.

To answer some questions some of you have had and bring everyone up to speed, here's what we know so far:

Ben Solo is _believed_ to be the last and only force user; the rest have been eradicated by the First Order.

The Battle of Chandrila was the first huge showdown between the First Order and the force users. This was the turning point of the people going from following force users to being indoctrinated into following the First Order out of fear, due to the First Order's supposed victory.

Rey has been told that her parents died in the Battle of Chandrila. She has no memories of her own and only has what Luke and Leia have told her.

Leia and Luke are Rey's "guardians." They claim to have found her in the battle of Chandrila and took her in to the Resistance. They have been training Rey as a mere member of the Resistance. Leia wants Rey to step up, while Luke seems to be hesitant to that idea.

Luke and some other familiar faces are on their way!

It is unknown if Snoke is real or not.

 **Very important:** things are meant to change, and the truth about everything will come out eventually. ;) So, on we go with the next chapter! Special thanks at the end.

* * *

 **Hero**

 _Chapter Four_

* * *

That night, Rey tossed and turned beneath an inundation of visions. In the darkness, she was sure it was the same dream she always had, but _oh,_ how real it seemed.

The only memory Rey had of the Battle of Chandrila was the aftermath, and that is what she thought she saw, now. Miles and miles of rubble spanned onward and outward as far as she could see. Demolished buildings, a sunken port, and broken, smoking fighter ships littered the land to the point where it was impossible to tell what once had stood there. If Rey were in her right mind, she'd remember it was once the Senate Plaza – now rebuilt in the First Order's image. But there, in the dream, all Rey could focus on was the desperation and terror she felt, walking amongst the countless corpses. At first, they all were indiscernible from each other. Upon closer inspection, Rey could tell through sheer horror who was First Order and who was force user. While the soldiers did not bleed, their wounds cauterized by the force users' weapons made of light, it was the _force users_ who lay, drowned in their own blood.

The smoke from the smoldering structures choked the air, and Rey could not see for miles ahead of her. She cried out just as she did in every other instance of the dream: for help, for her parents, for _someone_ to find her. No one ever came, and Rey almost wondered if she'd survived or if this was what the afterlife looked like. Alone and forgotten.

But something was different this time. Something in the distance disturbed the wafting smog… no, _many_ things. One was ahead of the other, his weapon held high above his head and his legs carrying him straight toward Rey. She couldn't scream; couldn't bring her voice to rise above the smoke choking her. Just before the strange man could land his blow, a chaotic, red beam speared him through his chest, rendering him lifeless save for the silent howl on his lips. When his body crumpled to the ground, Rey was left standing alone with a towering effigy: masked and clad in black armor, the unstable weapon of light in his hand. Six others who looked just like him, yet different, flanked his sides. One by one, the six disappeared until she and her savior were the only ones left standing, and Rey was not afraid. Somehow, she knew not to be, even as he reached for her, touching her face. It felt so familiar…

Rey bolted upright in her bunk with a gasp, but she was not the only one startled awake. On the opposite end of the room, her best friend, Finn, conked his head on the low-lying ceiling. As flustered as she was, Rey couldn't help but giggle – that's what he got for insisting on the top bunk.

Shushing her, Finn gestured to the bunk below where Poe, the best pilot in the Resistance, turned over in his sleep. Nodding in exasperation, Rey did the same but toward the door. Finn obediently followed her out with an imperceptible click of the door.

"Some of us need our beauty sleep," he scolded, his voice still hushed even though they were in the barracks hall. Rey rolled her eyes. "What's up? Another nightmare?"

"Same one," Rey said, chewing her lip. "Except it was… different."

"Oh? How so?"

"Someone found me this time." She was beaming. It was everything she'd hoped for in the last decade: for someone who _truly knew_ and _wanted_ Rey, to find her. As the years passed, she resorted to wishing for _anything_. Even their remains – proof that she'd belonged somewhere before losing her memories. Oh, how she wished the vision had been corporeal.

Finn's eyebrows shot up and there was unbridled excitement in his voice. "You think it's a memory?" Rey shrugged, unable to quell the smile on her lips. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but Finn had hit the nail on the head. _He_ was good at getting his hopes up _for_ her, because he had none of his own left. Finn was special, especially to Rey. A First Order defect, he'd come to the Resistance vowing to help them. He wanted to extinguish the First Order as much as they did, if only to avenge the family he was taken from. His family that was murdered, because again, the First Order didn't believe in witnesses.

Waving her hand, Rey changed the subject. "You were already sleeping when I got back, but there's something I have to ask you. I need your help, Finn."

Finn squeezed her shoulder. "Anything," he said, his smile brighter than the dim overhead lamp.

Finn was a definite undercover project. The First Order knew his face and his name, so the best place for the "traitor" was below ground on-base. His extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the Order was the perfect fit as a strategist for their communications team. If there was anyone who would do what Rey needed done, no questions asked, it was Finn. Or so she thought.

"We found one," she hissed, leaning close to his ear. "A force user."

"Are you kidding me!?" Finn jumped, and it was Rey's turn to shush him. Nodding, she gripped his shoulders in an attempt to calm him, but Finn continued frantically. "You had better be kidding. If there was an actual, real-life force user here, we'd all be sitting ducks."

Rey shook her head emphatically. "No, it's fine. I swear it. He's good, and he's going to help us. We just have to –"

"No, it's _not_ fine, Rey," Finn insisted, and the apprehension in his eyes made Rey doubt herself for the first time in a long while. "You don't understand… they'd be able to find him here. Snoke –"

"Is only a rumor. There's no proof he's even real."

Finn shook his head. "He _is_ real, Rey. I know he is, and it is an absolute fact. That's what we've been bracing ourselves for – we're not operating on a whim. Snoke is _real_ , and he knows the force."

Rey's eyes dropped from his, darting back and forth as she tried to recall what she'd read. The list of abilities… they'd said that force users can sense one another. That it was difficult to suppress a force signature – what alerts other sensitives to your location. But also, there was suppression. The ability to stealth oneself, just like she'd done with the speeder. "H-He can hide it. He has to. He's the last chance we've got…"

His lips forming into a solid line, Finn drew Rey into a hug just as frightened and frustrated tears spilled down her cheeks. "I hope so, peanut. I really, truly hope so."

* * *

Rey didn't sleep for the rest of the night; in all honesty, she didn't even try. There was no use against all that was on her mind.

Rey and Finn had to move quickly. If what Finn said was true, Rey figured they might as well follow her plan through… at least before filling anyone else in. If anyone knew Snoke could find and track the force user to the base, the only sitting duck would be Ben against an entire Resistance. In a matter of hours, she and Finn finished their first broadcast design. Simple and to the point, it was more a telegram than an advertisement. It read: "Force Users not extinct. Proof lies with The Resistance." Gauging the rabble would guide the complexity of their next broadcast, but for now, Ben's identity would remain a secret.

"Run it," Rey instructed, but Finn didn't move.

"Shouldn't we wait for the General's approval?"

"She wanted me to step up. This is me stepping up. It's a good plan, Finn. _Trust_ in the plan."

Finn wasn't the only one who needed convincing. But then again, if they were already in danger, then one, vague broadcast wouldn't change much.

Giving Ben Solo all the courtesy she could muster, Rey waited until daybreak to return to Leia's quarters. Having her own key, she invited herself inside, anxious to start up the datapad and research just what it took for a sensitive to learn force suppression. They had no time to waste.

He'd left the door to the bedroom open, and when Rey crossed the room to the lounge, she caught a glimpse of Ben. He slept on his side, his chest bare and his bottom half precariously covered by a thin sheet. In the dim of the morning – barely visible through the rare ceiling portholes only select rooms had – his pale skin seemed to glow. He was mesmerizing, somehow, impossibly, more beautiful in his docility than he was in consciousness.

Against her better judgment, Rey crept inside the bedroom. She reasoned with herself – it would be better to ask him outright about the abilities he possessed, rather than waste time researching. That time could be put toward other important things if by some shred of grace, Ben already knew what he was doing. Settling one knee on the edge of the bed, Rey reached to gently shake his shoulder…

When her fingers were just a hair away, Ben startled awake, his arm jutting out ahead of him. Rey froze, but it was not of her own doing. Every muscle in her body locked up, rigid. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move; couldn't break free from whatever invisible hold Ben had on her. She beseeched him with panicked, desperate eyes, and when the sleep-induced fog lifted from _his,_ his arm fell away. Rey clutched at her chest, drawing deep, ragged breaths and trying her best not to scream.

"Oh, no…" Ben breathed, and he was pulling her into his arms. Rey didn't protest – her body felt like jelly in his hold, one hand in her hair and the other between her shoulder blades. He pressed her tightly to his chest, whispering, "I'm sorry. I didn't… I'm _sorry."_

She fit so perfectly in his lap, and instinctually, Rey wrapped her arms around his waist. His body shook, every inch of him in unrest, and it was Rey who had to comfort _him._ She felt so stupid. He was a hunted man. How many times had he been ambushed in his sleep? And here she was, creeping up on him in his most vulnerable state. If it were _her_ , Rey wasn't sure if she'd ever find sleep. Mere nightmares kept her up at night.

Rey hated to do it, but she had to disentangle herself from his long, vice-like limbs. The Resistance was in danger, and she had questions needing answers. "We have to talk… about Snoke."

The blood drained from Ben's face and he abruptly stood from the bed. Thankfully, he wore regulation Resistance drawstring pants – the kind every man was supplied with, for sleep or comfort. Rey idly wondered whether someone had dropped them off or if Leia kept stock in her room, but was instead distracted by the sight of the half-naked, disheveled man in front of her. His back faced her as he scooped up his discarded shirt from the floor and fiddled with it, turning it right-side out.

"What about him."

"So he's real… and you know him."

"Of course I know him," Ben muttered a bit too roughly, and Rey winced. Ben must have noticed out of the corner of his eye because he softened just enough for his shoulders to drop. "He sends his men after me every chance he gets. He talks…"

When his words trailed off, Rey jumped up to join his side. Moving to touch his elbow, she dropped her hand away at the last second, deciding against it. All of a sudden, Ben seemed so volatile, reminding Rey just how little she knew about him. "You've met him?"

Kylo shook his head but wouldn't look at her. Closing his eyes, he winced, his words coming out strangled. "He's in my _head._ All the time…"

Rey stiffened, stepping back. If she were honest with herself, Rey already knew Snoke was real. She'd believed the rumors all along. But now, she'd wanted to be wrong. Because Finn was right about everything. Snoke would find them, the base, _everyone._

"I have to warn them," Rey yelped, putting motion to her legs no matter how weak they felt. Before she could run from the room, the door in her sights, Ben caught her wrist. Rey writhed against it but his grip held strong. "What are you doing? We're all in danger because of you!"

Ben's face blanched and he pulled Rey close. "No. You're not in danger, I swear it." Rey was visibly unconvinced. "Snoke may be haunting me, but he won't get anything out of it. What do they say – 'keep your enemies close'? I won't let him get to me, Rey… and I won't let him get to _you_. You have my word."

It was the first time he'd said her name, and Rey felt a heat ignite within her. From her quick, bated breaths to the flush in her cheeks, she felt the warmth overtake her. Fill her entirely. She wanted so much to believe him.

"You can trust me," he murmured, relinquishing his grip on her wrist to instead take her hands in both of his. Stepping closer, he leaned in, stooping just a bit so that his forehead could rest against hers. When his eyes closed, Rey's followed suit, and she could feel nothing but the swell of his breath on her cheeks and the light touch of his fingers tracing from her temple down to her jawline. It was like his touch spurred the darkness to life behind closed eyes. Nothing materialized, and yet, the black quivered as if it were alive… when Rey looked again, she could see – something _was there._ Athin, red string, too long to see what each end connected to. It glimmered, beckoning, and Rey wanted so badly to reach for it. To hold on and follow wherever it led…

Beginning as a hiss and growing in strength, a voice rose from the darkness. It was laughing. Taunting Ben for his weakness and his loneliness – he was nothing in the force; nothing but a blip on the radar. Threatening to destroy him, once he was found – the world would be better off; he had nothing to live for. Offering him a purpose, if only he'd submit – there was victory and power to be had, if he agreed to kneel before the Supreme Leader.

Wrenching herself from the strange connection, Rey stumbled back and away from Ben. When she opened her eyes, she saw that he was just as bewildered.

"Did you see that?" she whispered, her voice caught in her harried breath. She wasn't sure if Ben hadn't heard her, or if he couldn't respond. He simply stared at her as if he'd seen a ghost from his past.

He _had_ seen the red string. She was sure of it.

An abrupt buzzing sounded from the sitting area, causing them both to jump and snap from their reverie. Leia's comm – a call was coming in. Dashing to it, Rey went to answer the call only to reel her hand back in as if she'd touched a burning ember. No one should know she was there, alone in the too-early hours with Ben Solo.

Ben must have been on the same wavelength, because he was at her side a moment later, accepting the call. Leia's voice sounded clearly over the channel.

"Good morning, Ben. You're requested in the strategy room. You as well, Rey." Rey winced. Leia either knew her too well, or knew more than she let on. "See you in ten, yes?"

"Yes ma'am," Ben answered for the both of them, ending the call.

* * *

 **Special Thanks:** Thank you so much to all those who have commented! From AO3, special thanks to **tasu7** , **Jinga** , **kyloxretfa** , and **No_Name_500**. I appreciate your comments so much and have replied to them all. From FFdotnet, special thanks to **artvandelay5001**! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far! Thank you for reading and reviewing.


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